SAN FRANCISCO —Today, San Francisco Ballet—the first professional ballet company in America and the first in the country to perform Nutcracker—announced the launch of its Nutcracker Guide to Our City, an interactive magazine inspired by SF Ballet’s Nutcracker production. It can be accessed online by visiting:www.sfballet.org/cityguide.

Like the SF Ballet production, the guide is set in early twentieth-century San Francisco and presents a rich journey through five historic locations around the city, including: Alamo Square, the Conservatory of Flowers, Chinatown, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the War Memorial Opera House.

The content-rich magazine also features blog entries by local historians and architecture experts, video interviews with SF Ballet dancers, and vintage photography of San Francisco from the early 1900’s.

“Since San Francisco was the first city in America to offer a full-length Nutcracker, it’s only fitting that Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson set San Francisco Ballet’s current production in early twentieth-century San Francisco,” said SF Ballet Executive Director Glenn McCoy. “To celebrate the long-standing ties between the city and this annual holiday tradition, we’ve created a fun, interactive guide that explores five city locations that are integral to our production,” added McCoy.

Upon launching the guide, SF Ballet will offer special discounts and deals for some of the locations featured in the magazine, as well as the chance to win free tickets to SF Ballet’sNutcracker.

WHAT: Kumu Hula Patrick Makuakāne and his award-winning dance troupe, Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu, are set to return to the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre October 15 – 23 with six performances of The Hula Show 2011. Tickets are on sale now at 415-392-4400, or online at cityboxoffice.com. With stops in India, Samoa, Turkey, Spain, and Wai’anae, The Hula Show 2011 takes attendees on a global tour of dance and song. The trip is rounded out with Hanohano Kapalakiko, a suite of chants that celebrate the indelible bond and long historical ties between Hawai’i and San Francisco. These original chants were written especially for Nā Lei Hulu by Puakea Nogelmeier, the celebrated author, composer and linguist.

WHEN:

October 15 at 8 p.m. – opening night Champagne reception following show

TICKETS: Ticket prices are $35 – $45 (reserved seating) for regular performances. All tickets for the family matinee are $10 (general admission). Groups of ten or more receive a 10% discount (does not apply to reception or gala). Tickets to the opening night Champagne reception (Saturday, October 15) are $90. Tickets for the gala benefit Lu’au and silent auction (Saturday, October 22) are $150 and a reserved table of ten is $1,500. Tickets are on sale now at 415-392-4400 and online atcityboxoffice.com.

MORE: As special guests, the Golden Gate Men’s Chorus join Nā Lei Hulu for a beautiful a cappella accompaniment as they perform an Islamic chant and two Indian Ragas during the October 22 and 23 performances. All shows feature an exciting blend of traditional and contemporary forms of hula.

PARKING: Due to construction at the Palace of Fine Arts, parking will be limited. Attendees are encouraged to carpool, and arrive early to park. Street closure: Doyle Drive from northbound 19th Avenue/Hwy 1.Parking options: ST. FRANCIS YACHT CLUB – free parking. 700 Marina Boulevard at Yacht Road. 12-minute walk across Marina Boulevard to Lyon Street and POFA Theatre. CLAIRE LILIENTHAL SCHOOL – $10 per car. Enter schoolyard on Beach Street between Scott and Divisadero. 15-minute walk on Beach Street to POFA pond, then around pond to POFA Theatre doors. MARINA MIDDLE SCHOOL (Sunday shows only) – $10 per car. Enter schoolyard on Bay Street between Fillmore and Webster. Complimentary shuttle to and from POFA Theatre, starting 90 minutes prior to show time. For additional parking information, please visit naleihulu.org.

About Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu

Founded in 1985, Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu (“the many feathered wreaths at the summit, held in high esteem”) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization committed to teaching and preserving the Hawaiian culture through hula. It has a performance group of nearly 40 dancers and offers classes to students in the beginning and intermediate levels. The organization holds educational workshops throughout the year in Hawaiian language, history, and arts and crafts. The company has performed in locations throughout California, and in New York, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Honolulu. For further information on Nā Lei Hulu I Ka Wēkiu, call 415-647-3040 or visit naleihulu.org.

(Based on YouTube views, people are more interested in Mark Farrell and Janet Reilly at this point. UPDATE: Whoops, there’s been a change – see the Comments. Click on the links if you want to keep score…)

I’ll tell you, I was surprised to see the turnout at Mark Farrell‘s campaign kickoff at Moscone Park up there in the Marina District on Saturday. They’re claiming 120 souls gathered under the pouring sun and I can believe it. Lots of people from the smaller unions were on the scene.

Here’s Mark’s dad, John Farrell, talking about the good old days when you could interview a potential babysitter without hearing about her eight body piercings. He also reminisced about his son playing ball back in the Marina in the 90’s and about his son helping out (along with Joe DiMaggio*) after the Great Fire of 1989:

Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier will address District 2 residents as the opening speaker at tonight’s District 2 Supervisor Candidate Forum at the Palace of Fine Arts from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO (September 13, 2010) — The Marina Community Association (MCA) has joined other neighborhood and merchant groups in sponsoring a Supervisor Candidate Forum to give the public an opportunity to learn more about the candidates vying to represent District 2 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Supervisor Alioto-Pier, who is ineligible to run for re-election as District 2 Supervisor will deliver the opening address.

The forum will provide each candidate with an opportunity to answer questions about issues that impact District 2 neighborhoods and the city of San Francisco. The event is free and open to the public. All residents of District 2 are encouraged to attend.

The event will take place at the Palace of Fine Arts on Monday, September 13, 2010, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.

And Item Three is the news of Janet Reilly getting endorsed by yet another big union. I don’t know how much the endorsement from the United Educators of San Francisco will help in District 2 but here it is:

And, oh, add to that, the Carpenters Union, Local 22 is also backing Janet. That’s the latest.

*IIRC, Joltin Joe DiMaggio was kind of a big jerk on Chestnut Street back in the 1990’s, trying to jump the line at a barbershop and getting all huffy when the barber said no dice, that kind of thing. JMO.

Marina Community Association Co-sponsors District 2 Supervisor Candidate Forum. A coalition of neighborhood groups is sponsoring a District 2 Supervisor Candidate Forum at the Palace of Fine Arts on Monday, September 13, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.

The Marina Community Association (MCA) has joined other neighborhood and merchant groups in sponsoring a Supervisor Candidate Forum to give the public an opportunity to learn more about the candidates vying to represent District 2 on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The general election is scheduled for November 2, 2010.

The forum will provide each candidate with an opportunity to answer questions about issues that impact District 2 neighborhoods and the city of San Francisco. The event is free and open to the public. All residents of District 2 are encouraged to attend.

The event will take place at the Palace of Fine Arts on Monday, September 13, 2010, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Miss Chinatown U.S.A. Coronation BallFriday, February 26, 2010San Francisco Hilton & Towers
333 O’Farrell Street, San Francisco
(415) 982-3000
6:00 pm No Host Cocktails
7:00 pm Dinner and Dancing until midnight
Tickets: $120
The newly selected Miss Chinatown USA and her court will be crowned at the annual Harrah’s Coronation Ball. The black tie dinner/dance, attended by many community leaders, promises to be a highlight of the Lunar New Year festivities.

“On Monday, October 26, 2009 at 7:30 p.m., the San Francisco cast of Wicked, along with members of the San Francisco arts community (and beyond), is coming together for one of the most important events of the year – Defying Inequality: The San Francisco Concert, a one-night only concert benefitting Marriage Equality USA and Garden State Equality – two equal rights organizations. Featuring stars from stage & screen, the concert will be held at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre (3301 Lyon Street, San Francisco, CA). A VIP reception will be held in the lobby immediately following the event. For tickets and information, please contact City Box Office at (415) 392-4400 and visitdefyinginequality.com (click on San Francisco).

“The concert will be directed by Joe Dulude II with musical direction by Bryan Perri.

Now that that pesky modern art has been gotten rid of, a question remains over what to do with the upper end of the Main Post. You know the Burger King corporation had an outlet that served as an Army Mess on the Presidio for so many years, it would be only fitting to give it the right of first refusal to get a chance to replace the famous itty bitty bowling alley that’s up there now.

An artist’s conception, avec just one installation of evil modern art thrown in to see if the NIMBYs can tolerate it.